Agencies unite to manage Delaware’s wetlands
By On World Wetlands Day on Thursday, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service signed an agreement to manage and protect wetland communities on state-owned forest, park and wildlife lands.
According to a news release, wetlands are important ecosystems that contribute to climate mitigation and adaptation, water availability, world economies and commerce, cultural and recreational values, and global biodiversity. The communities memorialized by the partnership are areas that provide critical habitat for rare plants and animals, including endangered species.
Unique wetland communities make up nearly 18,000 acres of the state’s land surface and include coastal plain seasonal ponds, baldcypress swamps and Atlantic white cedar swamps, among others.
The new agreement provides guidance for land managers to consider for protection, restoration and management responsibilities in these wetland communities.
Recognizing the varied landscapes throughout Delaware, these guidelines can be used for future efforts and the management actions prescribed for state-owned lands.
Information is available here.
